I need information on Clipping Wings

[brijetterom]

Hi there!

I am afraid to clip the wings of my chicken because then they may not be able to get up the steep ramp from the bottom floor to the top floor in the coop.

Is this ridiculous? I though to my self "What if they can get up on their perches?"

Let me know what your experience with clipping is.

 

[chfite]

I don't clip the wings on my chickens. I have a 4 foot fence enclosing the forage area. None has flown out so far. By the time that they chickens are mature, they will be so heavy that they won't be able to fly more than a couple of feet off the ground.

The run has a 6 foot fence over which none has flown starting from the ground. Just the same, it is surprising how high the pullets can jump. I have had a couple jump 4 feet straight up to get onto something or grab elderberries off the bush. The mature ones can jump barely 2 feet.

Chris

 

[lazy gardener]

Clipping wings is very easy, and you'll only need to clip one wing on each bird. Rather than tell you how to do it, I recommend that you do a thread search. There are plenty of instructions already written, and even some videos. If you have chickens jumping your fence, clipping is a nice option. My girls with clipped wings can still get up their steep ramp and jump up 2 1/2' to get in their coop door.

 

[sumi]

Here you go: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-clip-trim-the-wings-of-your-chicken-to-prevent-flight

 

[mightymax]

If you do end up clipping your chickens wings, be certain to take Lazy Gardener's words about clipping only one wing to heart. This will put them off balance. But if you clip both wings, well, now both sides are in balance again, they're just shorter wings now and your birds will more than likely still be able to fly. And I agree that they will make it up your steep ramp just fine.

 

[brijetterom]

I guess I won't clip the wings if you have not had experiences with them escaping your area. I just don't want to loose my babies!!

 

[mightymax]

In all the years I've free-ranged chickens, I have never clipped their wings, nor have I ever had one 'fly the coop' (pun intended).

That's not to say it doesn't ever happen, just that it's never happened to me.

I guess I should've asked what breed of chickens you have, whether or not they have the run of the property or if they're in a run/pen and what kind of predators you have because those things might possibly influence my decision to clip or not. Anyway, in the end, only you know what's best for you, your situation and, of course, your chickens !!! Good luck and enjoy your babies !

 

[AmericanMom]

When my birds jump the fence, they jump the 4 foot fence separating the 1/3 acre they free range from the 1/2 acre where our garden and sheds are set up... We have clipped the wings on some. Funny story, we once had a brown sex link, that girl was always jumping the fence and getting into the neighbors yard, well neighbor has a dog that just loves him some chicken chew toys so we clipped her wing thinking that will stop her, stood out there and watched the chickens one night and saw her not only get over that fence but the way she got over amazed us, she used the one wing to create the lift and basically climbed that chain link fence! We clipped her other wing that night and never had another issue with her... For the stubborn one we do clip both but as a rule when we clip it is usually just one side.